The present invention relates to internal combustion engines. More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a combustion engine having improved thermodynamic efficiency.
The inventor postulates that inefficiency in reciprocating piston internal combustion engines is caused mainly by heat loss. Heat losses are caused by the cooling system and other factors. The inventor therefore suggests that insulation is a solution to improved thermodynamic efficiency. A large variety of insulating materials are available. These include refractories, mineral wool blocks, silicate calcium slabs and mineral fibre tiles, which are very effective heat barriers. There is also the Linde type aspirating super insulator, which exhibits a heat conductivity of 0.0015-0.72 mW/mxc2x0 C. and can be used in a temperature range of 240xc2x0 C. to 1100xc2x0 C. However, significant space is required to install these insulators and also, they are susceptible to damage caused by rubbing and high-speed contact. It is suggested therefore that traditional cylinder designs cannot be employed to achieve the desired insulating effects. The inventor suggests that such insulating materials cannot be used unless the combustion chamber is enlarged.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages and/or more generally to provide and engine having improved thermodynamic efficiency.
There is disclosed herein an internal combustion engine comprising:
an insulated combustion chamber having a fuel mixture inlet and a spark plug nearby the inlet,
a series of baffles configured within the combustion chamber to absorb a shockwave caused by ignition of fuel mixture by the spark plug,
a turbine receiving reduced-pressure combustion gases from an exhaust-side of the baffles, and
a power takeoff at the turbine.
Preferably the power takeoff comprises a pulley.
Preferably the pulley belt-drives an oil pump.
Preferably the oil pump drives pressurised oil to a reservoir.
Preferably the reservoir comprises a piston, one side of which communicates with oil in the reservoir, and the other side of which communicates with combustion gases in the combustion chamber.
Preferably there is a high-pressure oil takeoff at the reservoir.
Preferably the turbine comprises a cylindrical housing having a rotor therein, the rotor having a hollow centre receiving exhaust gases from the combustion chamber and a number of radial passages extending from the hollow centre to a periphery of the rotor, the housing comprising an annular space about the rotor periphery with a plurality of buffers extending from the housing to the rotor periphery, the rotor also comprising a plurality of outlet passages extending inwardly from the rotor periphery to exhaust outlets, the rotor further comprising a flap at its periphery between each radial passage and outlet passage, the flaps adapted to close the radial passages upon interaction with the buffers as the rotor rotates.
Preferably the radial passages and outlet passages each comprise butterfly valves.
The preferred embodiment has an enlarged combustion chamber, typically being equal to two to four times the volume of a standard cylinder of an internal combustion engine. This is suggested to provide size sufficient for insulation of insulating materials. An equivalent amount of fuel required for each cycle of explosion or combustion in an ordinary engine is introduced to a single enlarged combustion chamber.
Having enlarged the combustion chamber, temperatures are reduced below 1000 C. and the above-mentioned Linde insulating materials can be used.